This was a fun and interactive week for the students! We started off on Monday doing an interactive activity about peer collaboration and why it is important to work with other students. They had a task to memorize a series if letters first independently, then students paired up with a partner and did the same activity. After the memorizing activity we compared our results. A lot of students realized it was easier to memorize the letters with a partner than doing it by themselves. On Tuesday we spent the day using a self evaluating rubric to reflect on how we effectively collaborated with people and why it makes a job easier as engineers to collaborate.
Wednesday-Friday we did our interactive circuit lab where students in groups of 4-5 had to build a circuit with wires, batteries, light bulb, and other materials. Students were given the materials and had to come up with a way to get their light bulb to light up. Throughout the lab we encountered problems or “constraints” that students had to problem solve through together. Once students got their light bulb to light they felt the achievement that engineers feel when they get their final prototype/model to work. Students recorded their observations/revisions on their lab sheet and then completed the self evaluating rubric on the next page. These pages are 3a and 3b in their interactive science notebook (ISN). If students do not have an ISN yet they need to get one ASAP and set it up. Next week we are starting on page 4a and 4b of their notebook. It is not good to fall behind and be unorganized especially this early in the year. I have extra notebooks in my room if students would like one for $1.00.
Friday was the first bellwork quiz of this unit consisting of 10 multiple choice questions. I have the grades in. If students are not happy with their grade, I strongly suggest coming to class on time and participate in bellwork. Students also need to be studying for the bellwork quizzes as we talked about it in class.
